Week of March 26, 2012

Beyond the Great Lakes
Hunting & Shooting Products/Issues
National

Regional

Michigan
Ohio
Other Breaking News Items

 

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Fishing beyond the Great Lakes

Wyoming Tribe wins right to hunt

Bald Eagles

A recent ruling by the federal government has granted a Wyoming tribe the right to kill two bald eagles for a religious ceremony. Native Americans are calling this a victory for American Indian sovereignty.

 

On March 9 the Northern Arapaho Tribe was granted a permit allowing it to either kill or capture and release two bald eagles this year.

 

Conservation groups have questioned why the Arapaho

tribal members can�t meet its religious needs without

killing wild eagles, citing the tribe�s capacity to raise captive birds, substitute feathers, or use an eagle that died of natural causes in their ceremonies.

 

According to Harvey Spoonhunter, a tribal elder and former chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council, eagle hunting �has been since the beginning of time with us, and we respectfully utilize the eagle in our ceremonies. We get to use the eagle, which we consider a message to the Creator.�

 

Bald eagles were removed the endangered species list in 2007.


Hunting & Shooting Products/Issues

Brite-Strike Tactical Blue-Dot Light

For Law Enforcement, safety, security

Brite-Strike Tactical Blue-Dot tactical LED flashlights were designed by police officers for police officers. The body is CNC machine milled from a single billet of high grade aerospace aluminum. The proprietary black anodized finish exceeds Mil Spec class two type III. The unique tri-sided body is more ergonomic for better gripping.

 

The front crenelated strike crown is blunted and the rear crown is more aggressive for maximum effectiveness in applying pressure point control techniques. The pocket clip is specifically designed for line officers and is reversed from other tactical lights. The clip features a greater clearance for lighting fast draws from either a BDU pocket, duty belt, or six pocket police pant. It also allows for quick mounting on a uniform epaulet, and quick removal when needed. The beam is a brilliant white light with a wider �spread� for a flood effect, which illuminates the entire area of a vehicle on a motor vehicle stop.

 

The Tactical Blue Dot series was designed to have features that a patrol officer needs, such as the tri-sided barrel design for a more ergonomic grip, front and rear tri-strike-crown, provides maximum impact for pressure point and weapon retention techniques.  The Tactical Blue Dot can be turned on and all modes accessed using a single

finger or thumb on one hand, thus meeting our definition of a true �Tactical Flashlight�.

 

The patented hi-tech HLS (Hi/Lo/Strobe) "Tactical Touch" switch design allows the operator to turn the light on with a full click on, then allows the user to rapidly and silently move to low then strobe, then back to high. The switch has six chips to perform these functions, and is protected from damage by being slightly recessed within the crenelated crown. As today�s LED�s are nearly indestructible, it is the chips in the light and end cap that are prone to damage causing a light to fail.

 

Specifics Include:

Output: up to 220 lumens / Lo-90 Lumens

Switch: High/Low/Strobe

LED Life: 100,000 hours

Runtime: Hi-(2.5 Hours)

Runtime: Lo-(8+ Hours) Strobe-(3 Hours

Length: 5.2 inches

Ballistic Nylon Holster (included)

Ergonomic Grip

Other models/variations available

 

About $250.00

 

508-746-8701  www.brite-strike.com

 

[email protected]

 


All Purpose Adhesive Light Strips

With active Illumination technology � for safety

All Purpose Adhesive Light Strips (APALS are a super thin LED light/battery unit that comes in five visible colors and true IR (Infrared).

APALS with Active Illumination Reflective Technology, is a micro-thin LED light strip that operates in three modes; fast strobe, slow strobe and steady on.

 

They are waterproof and shockproof. They're great for hiking, jogging, cycling, water sports, motorcycles, coming home late at night from the train station, or even walking

the dog, as they can be seen from up to 1/4 mile. They are

1" x 2.5" and they have a heavy duty adhesive back that can be placed anywhere, e.g. on the back of running shoes, on a running shirt, life jacket, helmet, or hat.

 

APALS and APALS-AIR will revolutionize the way we keep our military, public safety workers, and the public safe at night.  They have an operation time of 35+ hours.

 

About $12.00 per 4-pak

 

508-746-8701   www.brite-strike.com

 

[email protected]

 


National

New National Ocean Policy Draws Criticism from Sportfishing Community in House Hearing

Industry is concerned that the planning process will place more restrictions on recreational fishing

Alexandria, VA � March 22, 2012 - Responding to the administration�s intention to establish a new national policy to manage the nation�s ocean territory and the Great Lakes, today the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs held a hearing titled �Empty Hooks: The National Ocean Policy is the Latest Threat to Access for Recreational and Commercial Fishermen� to address how this new policy will impact recreational fishing�s access to our public waters.

 

Gary Zurn, senior vice-president of Big Rock Sports, LLC, headquartered in North Carolina, testified about the growing concern within the recreational fishing community about how increased fishing restrictions, regulations and closures, and the further uncertainty about the National Ocean Policy will impact the industry and the nation�s 13 million saltwater anglers. Zurn serves on the American Sportfishing Association�s (ASA) Board of Directors and is the Chairman of its Government Affairs Saltwater Committee.

 

�I�m here today to not only represent my company and our fifteen thousand outdoor sporting goods retailers, but also the millions of recreational anglers across the nation who are facing increasingly complex and restrictive fishing regulations, rising gas prices and unprecedented new threats to fishing access, particularly in our marine waters,� said Zurn in his testimony before Congress. �Fisheries and public waters are being closed at an alarming rate, and this has made the recreational fishing community increasingly sensitive to efforts to restrict our access to public lands and waters. Rather than providing an opportunity to expand and promote recreational fishing, anglers cannot help but view the National Ocean Policy, particularly the Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning process, as another effort to make public resources inaccessible to the people who help pay for their management and conservation.�

 

On July 19, 2010, President Obama issued an Executive Order to establish a new national ocean policy for conserving and managing the United States ocean territory and the Great Lakes. Of particular interest to the recreational fishing community is a call within the National Ocean Policy for Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, a process of planning where and how uses can take place in the ocean and Great Lakes. Since the release of this

policy, ASA and others in the recreational fishing and

boating community have continuously expressed concerns about how recreational access will be treated in the planning process. Despite continued comments by ASA and the recreational fishing community, the policy does not adequately acknowledge the important economic, social and conservation values of recreational fishing.

 

�Over the past two years, the recreational fishing and boating community has provided substantial input to the administration advocating that the social, economic, public health and conservation benefits of sustainable recreational use of our nation�s public resources receive priority consideration in the new coastal and ocean management policy,� said ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson. �Closing our public resources to recreational activities can have a devastating impact on businesses and livelihoods that are dependent on those activities. We need to ensure that our public resources remain open for American families to experience these recreational pursuits consistent with conservation goals and with the administration�s America�s Great Outdoors initiative.�

 

Zurn cited areas such as California�s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) and Biscayne National Park, the nation�s largest urban recreation area located in Miami, Fla., where unwarranted no-fishing zones have been proposed despite strong opposition from the recreational fishing community. Through the MLPA process, California has placed hundreds of square miles of the state�s most productive coastal waters off limits to recreational fishing through a spatial planning process. Zurn urged the administration to avoid this when contemplating coastal and marine spatial planning on a national level.

 

�It is our hope that the administration will assure that ocean planning will not result in more fishing closures, but rather follow the lead of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Washington State which elevated the status of recreational fishing in their planning processes. We do not want to see the administration follow the contentious and unproductive path that California has taken,� concluded Zurn.

 

The most recent National Ocean Policy planning document � the Draft Implementation Plan � is open for public comment through March 28, 2012. The American Sportfishing Association is calling on its members and anyone interested in the future of ocean resources management, to review the plan and provide comments before the deadline. Click here to view comments recently submitted by ASA and six other leading national recreational fishing and boating groups on the Draft Implementation Plan


Coast Guard changes how Mariners Activate Radio-controlled Fog Signals

The Coast Guard announced a change to the marine radio frequency that mariners must use to activate fog signals on navigable waterways of the Great Lakes.  Until the change takes effect on July 1, mariners are advised to use both the new and the old frequency.

 

Since the 1990s, mariners encountering decreased visibility have been able to activate fog signals on certain aids-to-navigation by tuning their marine radios to VHF-FM channel 79A (156.975 MHz) and keying their microphone

five times.  Doing so activates the fog signals, allowing

mariners to locate and identify the aids when they are hard to see, which results in safer transit.  The channel used for this purpose is being changed to channel 83A (157.175 MHz).

 

Mariners who wish to activate fog signals should key their microphones on both channels until July 1, when they should only do so on channel 83A.  This change is being made to shift radio traffic from channel 79A, a commercial channel, to channel 83A, a frequency owned and operated by the Coast Guard.


Regional

Great Lakes Water Levels for March 23, 2012 

WEATHER CONDITIONS

A week ago, tornadoes touched down in the Great Lakes basin.  Storms dropped heavy precipitation, including damaging hail in some areas.  Through the week, record high temperatures were reached in the Great Lakes basin for this time of year, with multiple locations seeing temperatures over 40 degrees warmer than average.  Chances of scattered showers and thunderstorms are forecasted from now through Saturday.  Temperatures are expected to drop 10 to 20 degrees by Sunday, but still remain above seasonal averages.

LAKE LEVEL CONDITIONS

Currently, Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron are 2 and 7 inches, respectively, higher than they were last year.  Lakes St. Clair, Erie, and Ontario are 4, 10, and 9 inches, respectively, higher than a year ago.  Over the next thirty days, Lakes Superior and Michigan Huron are projected to rise 2 and 4 inches, respectively, from their current levels.  The water level of Lake St. Clair is forecasted to increase 3 inches over the next month, while the water levels of Lakes Erie and Ontario are each expected to rise 1 inch.  See our Daily Levels web page for more water level information.

FORECASTED MONTHLY OUTFLOWS/CHANNEL CONDITIONS

Lake Superior's outflow through the St. Marys River is projected to be below average for the month of March.  Lake Huron's outflow into the St. Clair River and the outflow from Lake St. Clair into the Detroit River are expected to be near average throughout the month of March.  Lake Erie's outflow through the Niagara River and the outflow of

Lake Ontario into the St. Lawrence River are both predicted to be above average in March.

ALERTS

The water level of Lake Superior is below chart datum and is forecasted to remain below chart datum until July.  The water level of Lake Michigan-Huron is expected to be near or slightly below chart datum through March.  Users of the Great Lakes, connecting channels and St. Lawrence River should keep informed of current conditions before undertaking any activities that could be affected by changing water levels.  Mariners should utilize navigation charts and refer to current water level readings. 

 

 

 

Superior

Mich-Huron

St. Clair

Erie

Ontario

Level for March 23

600.16

577.49

574.18

572.15

245.96

Datum, in ft

601.10

577.50

572.30

569.20

243.30

Diff in inches

-11

0

+23

+35

+32

Diff last month

0

+3

+2

+2

0

Diff from last yr

+2

+7

+4

+10

+9


Michigan

Public meetings to discuss statewide fishing regulations

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources� Western Lake Superior Management Unit in Fisheries Division has announced meetings in Ishpeming, Ironwood and Houghton to discuss statewide fishing regulation proposals.

The meetings will be held on the following dates in the following locations:

  • April 3, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (eastern time) at the Ishpeming Township Hall, Highway M-28 in west Ishpeming, Michigan

  • April 4, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (eastern time)/6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (central time) at Gogebic Community College, Lindquist Center in Ironwood, Michigan

  • April 5, 2012 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. (eastern time) at Michigan Technological University, Isle Royale Ballroom A-2 in Houghton, Michigan

Several statewide regulation proposals will be discussed, including the following:

  • Brook trout daily possession limits for Upper Peninsula streams.

  • Northern pike size and possession limits.

  • Muskellunge size and possession limits.

  • Prohibiting the recreational take of the newly listed special concern species � queen snake and western lesser siren.

 

More specific information will be available at the public meetings and on the DNR�s website regarding the above statewide proposals. There will also be an opportunity to comment on these statewide proposals by email and through other public survey methods. 

For more information on the Western Lake Michigan Management Unit meetings, contact George Madison at [email protected] or 906-353-6651.


Public meetings to discuss Northern Lake Michigan Management and statewide fishing regulations

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources� Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit in Fisheries Division has announced meetings in Escanaba and Iron Mountain to discuss local and statewide fishing regulation proposals.

 

The meetings will be held on the following dates in the following locations:

  • Tuesday, March 27 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Eastern Time) at the Bay College Heirman Center Room 952, 2001 N. Lincoln Road in Escanaba.

  • Wednesday, March 28 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. (central time) at Bay College West, 2810 North U.S. 2, Iron Mountain.

Several local regulation proposals will be discussed at the meetings, including the following:

  • Removal of special fishing regulations on Fumee Lake, Dickinson County.

  • Removal of trout regulations on lakes that are no longer managed for trout (Section 1 Pond, Delta

County; North Manistique Lake, Luce County; and Wolf Lake, Marquette County).

 

Several statewide regulation proposals will also be discussed, including the following:

  • Brook trout daily possession limits for Upper Peninsula streams.

  • Northern pike size and possession limits.

  • Muskellunge size and possession limits.

  • Prohibiting the recreational take of the newly listed special concern species � queen snake and western lesser siren.

 

More specific information will be available at the public meetings and on the DNR�s website regarding the above statewide proposals. There will also be an opportunity to comment on these statewide proposals by email and through other public survey methods. 

 

For more information on the Northern Lake Michigan Management Unit meetings, contact Jessica Mistak at [email protected] or (906) 786-2351, extension 127.


Public meetings to discuss Northern Lake Huron Management and statewide fishing regs proposals

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources� Northern Lake Huron Management Unit in Fisheries Division has announced meetings in Sault Ste. Marie, Cheboygan, Alpena and Grayling to discuss local and statewide fishing regulation proposals. There will also be a short informational session to describe unit activities.

The meetings will be held on the following dates in the following locations:

  • Thursday, April 5, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Cisler Center on the campus of Lake Superior State University, 621 West Easterday Avenue, Sault Ste. Marie.

  • Thursday, April 12 beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Cheboygan Sportsman�s Club, 13516 Seffren Road, Cheboygan.

  • Monday, April 16, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 500 W. Fletcher St., Alpena

  • Thursday, April 19, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Grayling Nature Park, 100 James St., Grayling

Several local regulation proposals will be discussed at the meetings, including the following:

  • Ocqueoc and Black river watersheds pike

regulation, including addition of Tomahawk Lake, Ocqueoc Lake and Pug Lakes for no size limit on pike.

  • Trout (Carp) Lake pike regulation change (no size limit).

  • West Branch River trout stream designation boundary change of downstream limit.

 

Several statewide regulation proposals will also be discussed, including the following:

  • Brook trout daily possession limits for Upper Peninsula streams.

  • Northern pike size and possession limits.

  • Muskellunge size and possession limits.

  • Prohibiting the recreational take of the newly listed special concern species � queen snake and western lesser siren.

More specific information will be available at the public meetings and on the DNR�s website regarding the above statewide proposals. There will also be an opportunity to comment on these statewide proposals by email and through other public survey methods. 

For more information on the Northern Lake Huron Management Unit meetings, contact David Borgeson at [email protected] or 989-732-3541 ext 5070.


Meetings announced to discuss S.W. Michigan and statewide fishing regulation proposals

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources� Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit in Fisheries Division has announced meetings in the Lansing, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids areas to discuss local and statewide fishing regulation proposals.

 

The meetings will be held on the following dates in the following locations:

  • Monday, March 26 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Delta Township Library (5130 Davenport, Lansing)

  • Tuesday, March 27 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Portage Library (300 Library Lane, Portage)

  • Monday, April 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Plainfield Charter Township Office (6161 Belmont Ave, NE, Belmont)

Several local regulation proposals will be discussed at the meetings, including the following:

  • Removing Bluejay Creek (Berrien County) and Spring Creek (St. Joseph County) from the Designated Trout Streams list.

  • Removing Spring Creek (St. Joseph County) from

the Type 4 Trout Streams List.

  • Removing Pike Lake and Lake 16 (Allegan County) from the Type C Trout Lakes list.

  • Implementing a new hook regulation on the South Branch Black River (Van Buren County) above Breedsville to prevent snagging.

 

Several statewide regulation proposals will also be discussed, including the following:

  • Brook trout daily possession limits for Upper Peninsula streams.

  • Northern pike size and possession limits.

  • Muskellunge size and possession limits.

  • Prohibiting the recreational take of the newly listed special concern species � queen snake and western lesser siren.

More specific information will be available at the public meetings and on the DNR�s website regarding the above statewide proposals. There will also be an opportunity to comment on these statewide proposals by email and through other public survey methods.

For more information on the Southwest Michigan Management Unit meetings, contact Jay Wesley at [email protected] or (269) 685-6851, extension 117.

 


DNR offers women�s handgun course for a concealed pistol license

The Department of Natural Resources� Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) program is offering a handgun class for women interested in obtaining a concealed pistol license (CPL). Taking place at the Caledonia Sportsman�s Club in Alto on April 14-15, the program will include a basic class for the beginner as well as the course required by state law to obtain a Michigan CPL.

 

No previous shooting experience or skill level is needed to attend. Participants must be at least 21 years old and are required to attend both days of the two-day course, running from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

 

Certified firearms instructors from the Great Lakes Outdoor Foundation will teach the class, which will begin with basic firearm safety instruction and will cover the fundamentals of handgun shooting, types of handguns and ammunition. The class will then head to the shooting range, where each participant will get one-on-one coaching.

 

During the second part of the program, focusing on the

training course required by law to obtain a CPL, 

participants will learn more about firearm safety and

personal protection as well as how to select the proper handgun for personal protection and concealed-carry accessories. A Michigan attorney will discuss legal requirements, and three hours of range time will be required.

 

All handguns, ammunition, eye and ear protection, lunch and beverages will be provided both days. The total cost per person is $175. Class size is limited to 25 women, and those who want to attend must pre-register.

 

Caledonia Sportsman�s Club is located at 10721 Coldwater Road SE in Alto. For more information about the club, visit www.csc.us.com.

 

For registration and information on BOW programs: www.michigan.gov/bow, call 517-241-2225 or email [email protected].

BOW is a noncompetitive program in which each individual is encouraged to learn at her own pace. The emphasis is on the enjoyment, fun and camaraderie of outdoor activities, and sharing in the success of one another.

 


Inland fishing guides reminded of permit required to use state lands
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds fishing guides who use state-owned lands to access Michigan's inland lakes or streams as part of their commercial operation that they are required to have written permission from the DNR prior to using state-owned lands.

Since 2006, inland fishing guides in Michigan have been required to obtain written permission, in the form of an operating agreement, to use state-owned public water access sites. In addition to paying an annual Use of Land fee, guides must also provide proof of general liability insurance and must have a state-issued inland pilot's license or a U.S. Coast Guard captain's license. Annual

fees provide funding for state forest lands maintenance, including public-water access sites. Guides are also required to participate in the Recreation Passport initiative when using boating access fee sites.

 

For more information, contact, Brenda Mikula, DNR Parks and Recreation Division, at 231-597-0472 or visit www.michigan.gov/fishing and click on Angler Information, then Inland Fishing Guides, to find a link for the fishing guide operating agreement application form.

For information on how to obtain an inland pilot license, contact Sylvia Roossien, DNR Law Enforcement Division, at 517-241-3793

 


Ohio

Anglers Provide Insight to Improve Ohio River Fishery

Survey will be conducted with anglers in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia

COLUMBUS, OH � A river-wide creel survey of Ohio River anglers will be conducted this summer and fall to determine the effort anglers dedicate to fishing in the Ohio River, the types of fish anglers are catching and the numbers of each species that are caught and harvested.  

 

The cooperative survey is being conducted by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources� (ODNR) Division of Wildlife, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR).

 

Surveys began on March 18 and will continue through Oct. 20. Creel clerks will be stationed at various fishing areas and boat ramps on both sides of the Ohio River from the Ohio-Indiana state border to the New Cumberland Lock and Dam. 

 

Anglers that encounter a creel clerk will be asked a series of questions relating to their current and previous fishing 

trips, fishing habits and their attitudes and opinions about issues affecting Ohio River fisheries. The interview will take approximately five minutes, and anglers are encouraged to participate in this survey to provide information needed to enhance fishing opportunities. 

 

Understanding what anglers are catching and trying to catch is essential to the effective management of the Ohio River fishery. Information collected by creel clerks will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of regulations, assess stocking and better understand why anglers fish the Ohio River and what they expect from their fishing experiences. ODNR, WVDNR and KDFWR will work together to complete this study to determine how to better meet the needs of Ohio River anglers.

 

Fisheries in the Ohio River along the Ohio border are managed cooperatively through agreements between Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

 

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com.

 


Other Breaking News Items

(Click on title or URL to read full article)

 

Seaway officials applaud new Coast Guard ballast rules
The U.S. Coast Guard�s final ballast water treatment regulation, a rule that aims to protect the Great Lakes from invasive species while sustaining the region's economy, is being lauded by St. Lawrence Seaway officials.

 

COMMENTARY: Chinese fish for meaning in U.S. carp rampage
Outside of the Great Lakes and Mississippi River basins, news of this carp-control strategy barely registered with the U.S. public. But on March 6, it hit China and, like a jazz trio riffing for an hour on just a few notes, microbloggers took to the minor news topic with gusto.

 

Leaping Asian carp threaten Iowa Great Lakes
Community leaders are scrambling to install an electric barrier to stop the Asian silver carp from swimming up the Little Sioux River and into a small creek connected to Lower Gar Lake, the southernmost of the chain of glacial lakes.

 

 

The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the GLSFC, its officers or staff. 

Reproduction of any material by paid-up members of the GLSFC is encouraged but appropriate credit must be given. 

Reproduction by others without written permission is prohibited.

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